Cheniere Partners secures $3.4bn for Sabine Pass LNG export terminal

Cheniere Energy Partners, an affiliate of Cheniere Energy, has received financial commitments of about $3.4bn to fund the construction of its proposed Sabine Pass LNG liquefaction project in the US state of Louisiana.

The project is finalising definitive loan documents with the committed lenders and is working on commitments of approximately $200m with additional financial institutions.

Together with the $2bn of previous equity commitments from Blackstone, the company has so far received around $5.4bn for the construction of first two trains of its liquefaction project.

Cheniere Energy Partners is developing the liquefaction project at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal, located on the Sabine Pass Channel in western Cameron Parish.

As per the current plans, the facility would include four liquefaction trains, each with a nominal capacity of about 4.5 million tonnes per annum.

Cheniere Energy Partners chairman and CEO Charif Souki said the company’s ability to access a very large credit facility will significantly reduce its costs of financing during construction.

"We expect to reach a final investment decision and issue notice to proceed to Bechtel upon meeting all conditions precedent under the financial agreements, including, but not limited to, completion of the financing process with the Lenders and having all regulatory approvals in full force and effect," Souki added.

The terminal has regasification and send-out capacity of 4 billion cubic feet a day and storage capacity of 16.9 billion cubic feet equivalent.

Construction work on the project will start this year with the construction of the first two trains, while construction of two additional trains will begin in 2013.